We have been a Kelly Clarkson fan since we saw her first audition for American Idol, and seeing her surprise one of her biggest fans makes us a little jealous, but also LOL because the reaction is perfect!

Alex Preston has definitely been one of our favorites on season 13 of American Idol right from the moment when we first heard him! With his unique voice and talent, it’s obvious that this guy has a place in the music industry.

Chelsea Briggs chatted with Alex backstage after his performance of Gavin DeGraw’s “I Don’t Want To Be” on Tuesday’s show and got the lowdown on his performance, and what he needs to work on in order to move on in the competition.

You guys, how cute is Malaya Watson?! The American Idol contestant completely dominated the stage on Wednesday night with her performance of Tamela Mann's “Take Me To The King,” even giving Jennifer Lopez goose bumps!

Chelsea Briggs caught up with Malaya backstage following her performance to talk about her mindset, getting a standing ovation from the judges and her biggest insecurity!

A huge superstar diva like Mariah Carey at the American Idol judge's table was supposed to help the show's ratings. Having her sit next to a fresher, more current diva like Nicki Minaj, and getting into catfights, made Season 12 look even more promising.

Unfortunately, despite Fox's best efforts, the show faced some of its lowest ratings yet this year... and now, after all the rumors, it's official that Mariah and Nicki won't be returning for another season.

HW POLL

Some of your favorite past American Idolcontestants may be on the other side of the judging table next season.

After the show spent $40 million this past season to grab the biggest stars they could find (and watched it blow up in their face), the show is taking a different approach: bringing back old favorites that viewers have a vested interest in. Although no names have officially been confirmed, it's been reported that Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson are on board as judges for next season!

Who else is being approached for the remaining positions? Find out after the jump!